Monday, August 31, 2009

Project IV: The Dive - September 8-10

Reene's Swan Dive
Photo via mcescobar1 on Flickr

Context
I've had this idea brewing for a good while now, immediately after I saw that Facebook would be moving into a real-time update model. I knew that I wanted to take a look at this move toward real-time and immediacy online, but had to focus on other @Platea projects for the moment.

It's been almost six months since Facebook went real time in March, and we've seen an even greater trend toward real-time. Facebook acquired popular social media aggregator FriendFeed, which offers push updates in real-time. And we've seen Twitter suffer a number of server hiccups, leading to much angst all around when updates were delayed.

In short, immediacy is quickly becoming the norm in social media.

Lighthouse Diving - Dovercourt Essex
photo via Jibba Jabba on Flickr

Project IV: The Dive
As the summer comes to an end in the northern hemisphere and the fall art season heats up, the steering committee and I thought it might be fun to have one last hurrah with a public dive through social media. The performance will be September 8 to 10, and we're asking our performers to use the real-time news feed as a visual performance space for diving.

Just think about it: you go online, you check your Facebook and FriendFeed feeds, and as the day goes on, each status update and picture post slowly makes its way down. If it's a busy day and you have a lot of friends, these updates slide down quickly. If it's a slow day, they get there eventually. Imagine a picture of yourself diving through this space, gradually making your way down your friends' news feeds.

Sounds kinda fun, huh?

Emerald Dog Dive.
Photo via Jeffrey Beall on Flickr

How to Participate
Participation is simple. For three days, from September 8 to 10, we're going to take a collective plunge. Here's how:

1. Write your name and links to your social media sites in the comments space below. The most effective sites for The Dive will be ones that show a picture as they update. Facebook's news feed is the most obvious, as is FriendFeed. Flickr is also a good option, and I'm sure there are a few more. Even your own personal blog could work--it would just be a very slow dive if you don't update very often!

2. Follow @Platea on Twitter and/or join the @Platea Facebook group. We'll be posting thoughts and ideas for inspiration in preparation for the week. Feel free to share your own, and we'll retweet or repost them.

3. Set up a self-timer or grab a friend and take pictures of yourself "diving". No, you don't have to be wearing a bathing suit. It doesn't even have to be you. All that matters is that you find some way to visually represent a dive. The fun part will be watching this image slowly make its way down your and your friends' news feeds, as if it's, well, diving.

4. It may be helpful to explain what the heck you're doing. If you're using Facebook, you can set up an album called "The Dive: @Platea Project IV" with a description of the images. Here's one suggestion:
From September 8 through 10, I'm participating in "The Dive", a public performance art project organized by the @Platea collective. It's kind of strange but also kind of fun. Learn more about it at http://plateastweets.blogspot.com/2009/08/project-iv-dive-september-8-10.html.
5. By Monday, September 7, we'll post a running list of who's participating, with links to their sites.

6. On September 8, start diving! Dive once a day, dive once an hour. Synchronize dives with friends and do some cool tricks. Dive as much or as little as you want. Dive at different times of day. Have fun and enjoy the end of the summer.

Simon Sky Diving
Photo via GoGap on Flickr

Questions? Ideas? Thoughts? Send an @reply to @Platea on Twitter or leave a comment here.

12 comments:

  1. An Xiao
    friendfeed.com/thatwaszen
    facebook.com/thatwaszen

    ReplyDelete
  2. Jonny Gray

    Bungy32 on Twitter.com
    Bungy032 on flickr.com
    Jonny Gray on Facebook.com

    http://bungynotes.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  3. count me in!

    carse ramos

    carse ramos on facebook.com
    wraithia on twitter.com
    wraithia on flickr.com

    ReplyDelete
  4. Joanie San Chirico

    joanie_s_c on twitter.com
    Joanie Gagnon San Chirico on Facebook.com
    joaniesanchirico on flickr.com

    http://joaniesanchirico.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  5. Jennifer Ng

    jenniferwyng on twitter.com
    Jennifer Ng on Facebook.com
    jenniferwyng on flickr.com

    ReplyDelete
  6. D.

    http://sortingtrolley.tumblr.com/
    sortingtrolley on flickr.com
    sortingtrolley on twitter.com

    ReplyDelete
  7. oops! sorry, my flickr name is actually:
    "sorting[space]trolley"

    ReplyDelete
  8. Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/yberry
    Twitter: http://twitter.com/yberryfurrealz

    ReplyDelete
  9. Ingrid Murnane

    facebook.com/InnyM
    twitter.com/InnyM
    friendfeed.com/InnyM

    ReplyDelete
  10. Sounds lilke fun!

    Sheila Cunningham

    http://twitter.com/SheilaC
    http://www.facebook.com/sheila.cunningham

    ReplyDelete
  11. Weeeeeeeeeeeeee....

    Cynthia Lewis

    http://www.facebook.com/cy.lewis
    http://www.twitter.com/arialoracle

    ReplyDelete
  12. Trish Mayo

    facebook.com/Trish Mayo
    twitter.com/TrishMayo
    flickr.com/Trish Mayo

    ReplyDelete